adminJonathan Mashingaidze, the Zifa chief executive officer, on Saturday said the association had gathered intelligence reports that some people fingered in match-fixing were going about saying the tie was just a dead rubber.
A call between a Warriors coach and a leading player agent had been intercepted. The conversation was to the effect that they would get hold of players that they control and tell them to under-perform so that pressure mounts on Zifa to step down and throw Asiagate investigations into disarray.
“Our players will be under heavy surveillance for the duration of their camp. We are now aware that an agent and a former employee want players to influence a loss for the Warriors against Angola.
“It is saddening that in this day and age we have some people who are anti-Zimbabwe to that extent because of selfishness. Our security personnel are already on the ground ensuring that the players will be protected from those who do not want to see the country succeed,” said Mashingaidze.
He said is was sad to see agents and coaches working for a bad common cause.
“Honestly the virtues of the game that embrace fair play have gone to the dogs. When you find football people talking about bringing their own team down, you wonder if they deserve the respect and licences Zifa gave them,” said the chief executive officer.
The named agent and coach have been on the soccer radar for a while and have been very prominent in the national team scheme of things.
Mashingaidze said in this week’s camp they would try to limit the number of people coming into contact with the Warriors as some of them could be a bad influence to the players.
In Zimbabwe’s last matches at home there were hired crowds to boo Rahman Gumbo, the coach who replaced Norman Mapeza.
This resulted in the team incurring a $10 000 fine for crowd trouble imposed by the Confederation of African Football as Guinea players were caught up in the mayhem.
“That money could go a long way in solving or funding some of our problems as Zifa. Now we will have to pay from the teeth, we do not have resources to afford such an unnecessary expense,” said Mashingaidze.
At one of the submissions to the Zifa Independent ethics Committee led by Justice Ahmed Ebrahim, one of the masterminds of the Warriors’ Asiagate participation boasted that the match against Angola was a dead rubber. He said they were still going on about their corrupt activities and earning $10 000 before the match and another guaranteed minimum of $50 000 after the result is delivered.
“We have heard informally of such boasts and against that background, we implore the players to put their careers and the nation first. If it is true that the tone coming from the hearings is that of being unrepentant, then the game is in trouble. Players should be warned that they risk making the Zimbabwe soccer brand unsaleable and that could jeopardise their moves abroad.
“While to some a loss by the Warriors means scoring against the football establishment, it is the country and not Cuthbert Dube who would have lost. We are trying our level best to administer football the best way we can but we are finding a lot of bricks being thrown onto our path by those who amassed wealth through corrupt tendencies in football in the past,” said Mashingaidze.
Meanwhile the Warriors are expected to begin preparations for the tie this morning in the capital.
However, Mike Temwanjira, who plays in Romania, has been ruled out due to injury.
Number one goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini is also nursing an injury.
The Warriors
Marlon Jani, Ariel Sibanda, George Chigova, Tapuwa Kapini, Passmore Bernard, Noel Kaseke, Innocent Mapuranga, Cuthbert Nyadombo, Arnold Chaka, Onisimo Bhasera, Oscar Machapa, Vusa Nyoni, Tinashe Nengomasha, Ronald Chinyengetere, Archieford Gutu, Rio Moyo, Khama Billiat, Abbas Amidu, Knowledge Musona, Denver Mukamba, Takesure Chinyama, Nelson Mazivisa, Quincy Antipas, Donald Ngoma.
Online Reporter